Awards and Honors
World Junior 4x100m (38.66), 4x400m (3:01.09) record holder
2004 USATF Verizon Youth Athlete of the Year

About LaShawn
After serving a 21-month suspension, LaShawn Merritt returned shortly before the 2011 World Outdoor Championships where he won a silver medal, narrowly missing the gold and anchoring Team USA to gold in the 4x400m relay. In the weeks leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games, he was a favorite to repeat as gold medalist in the 400m. But he reaggrivated a muscle injury, which he sustained at a Diamond League meet in Monaco, and failed to advance passed the qualifying round in London. In 2008 took a major step forward in his career in winning a pair of Olympic gold medals in the 400m and 4x400m. He blistered the field in the 400m to win by 0.99 seconds, which was the largest margin of victory in an Olympic 400m final since 1896. The rivalry he created with three-time Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner became one of the most compelling in the sport. In 2008 Merritt and Wariner combined for the top 16 400m times in the world. In 2007 Merritt became the ninth man ever to break the 44-second barrier in the men's 400m. As just a high school senior, he ran what was then the second-fastest indoor 400m time ever of 44.93. That time remains a World Junior record. Merritt turned pro as an 18-year-old after his freshman indoor season at East Carolina.

USA/World Results and Personal Bests
2012: Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.16 (No. 7 in the USA, No. 14 in the world); 400m, 44.12 (No. 1 in the USA by T&FN, No. 2 in the world, ranked No. 3 in the world by T&FN) 2011: Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.13 (No. 3 in the USA, No. 9 in the world, ranked No. 7 in the USA by T&FN); 400m, 44.35 (No. 1 in the USA by T&FN, No. 1 in the world, ranked No. 2 in the world by T&FN)2010: Did not compete; doping suspension2009: Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.07 (No. 4 in the USA by T&FN, No. 8 in the world, ranked No. 7 in the world by T&FN); 400m, 44.06 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 1 in the world by T&FN)2008: Indoor bests - 200m, 20.82 (No. 12 in the USA, No. 12 in the world); Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.08 (No. 6 in the USA, No. 6 in the world); 400m - 400m, 43.75 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 1 in the world by T&FN)2007: Indoor bests - 200m, 20.71 (No. 6 in the USA, No. 8 in the world); 400m, 45.51 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 1 in the world); Outdoor bests - 200m, 19.98 (No. 5 in the USA, No. 7 in the world by T&FN); 400m, 43.96 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 2 in the world by T&FN)2006: Indoor bests - 200m, 20.72 (No. 9 in the USA, No. 10 in the world); 400m, 46.17 (No. 8 in the USA, No. 16 in the world); Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.10 (No. 5 in the USA, No. 8 in the world, ranked No. 4 in the USA, No. 5 in the world by T&FN); 400m, 44.14 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 3 in the world by T&FN)2005: Indoor bests - 200m, 20.40 (No. 5 in the USA, No. 5 in the world); 400m, 44.93 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 2 in the world); Outdoor bests - 200m, 20.38 (No. 12 in the USA, No. 24 in the world); 400m, 44.66 (No. 5 in the USA by T&FN, No. 9 in the world, ranked No. 10 in the world by T&FN)2004: Outdoor bests - 45.25 (No. 16 in the USA, No. 39 in the world)